Electric-alarm device for clocks



F. P. CROWE ELECTRIC ALARM DEVICE FOR CLOCKS Fxled Feb 6, 1924 Jan, 6,

Patented Jan. 6, 1925.

PATENT OFFICE.

FLORANCE P. CROWE, OF GREENFIELD, OHIO.

ELECTRIC-ALARM DEVICE FOR CLOCKS.

Application filed February 6, 1924. Serial No. 691,063.

To all whom t may concern.:

Be it known that I, FLoRANoE P. CRown, a citizen of the United States, residing at Greenfield, in the county of Highland and Sta-te of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric-Alarm Devices for Clocks, of which the following is a specification. l

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in electric alarm devices for clocks, and has particular reference to an electric alarm devi'ce which iseasily attachable to the dial ot any clock for operation by a hand of the latter.

. It is the principal object of the invention to provide a simple and etlicient device which may be easily attached to the dial plate of any clock for operation by its hour or minute hand to give an alarm at a predetermined time. The device is of few parts, they are economically and easily made, and when attached to the clock dial, they will form an alarm unit which is both attractive and etiicient.

The invention contemplates the attachment yof a wedge element to the hour hand of the clock, to close a circuit through an electric bell or other alarm device when that element engages the circuit closing means on the dial.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a tro-nt view of the dial of a clock to which my alarm device is applied. Figure 2 is a diametrical, sectional view taken through the dial and the setting slides of the alarm device. Figure 3 is a bottom plan View of the hour hand, showing the wedge contact element secured thereto. And Figure 4 is a rear view of the clock dial, showing the alarm bell and its electric connections with the'tracks on the dial.

Referring to the accompanying` drawings for a detailed description of my invention, the numeral 1 designates a clock dial around which an hour hand 2 and a minute hand 3 travel in theusual manner. Secured to the trontface of the dial 1 by screws 4, are two concentric tracks 5, 5 made of conducting material and having each a scarf-groove 6 in its outer side to receive a radial. scarfgroo-ved slide 7 constructed of suitable conducting material. On the rear side of the dial 1 the tracks 5, 5 are connected together by non-conducting pieces 8 through which the screws 4 pass. (See Figures 2 and 4.)

Secured to each track 5 for projection through a hole that may be easily formed in the dial 1, is a binding post 9 or other suitable wire-receiving element. Wires 10, 1() connected to these posts 9, 9, place the tracks 5, 5 in circuit with an electric bell 11, or any other suitable electric alarm. (See Figure 4.) This circuit is closed by the following means to give an alarm at a predetermined time.

The slides 7, 7 project a sutiicient distance over the space between the tracks 5, 5 to permit a non-conducting bridge piece 12 to be secured, by screws 11, 11, to their bottom portions tor travel around the circular path between the tracks. (See Figures 1 and 2.) At each side of the bridge piece 12 there is formed on each slide 7 a radial housing 13 for a plunger 14 from which a pin 15 projects through a-hole in the inner end of the housing. y

The plunger pins 15 15 are in alinement with each other, but in their normal outward positions they do not meet so that they may leave sufficient space tor the entrance bctween them of a wedge piece 16 attached to the bottom of the hour hand 2 of the clock. Mounted in each housing` 13 is a compression spring 17 against which each plunger 14 will be pressed by the wedge piece 16 when the latter is moved between the plunger pins 15, 15 by the hour hand; and after it has passed between these pins, the springs 17, 1T will return the plungcrs to their normal outward positions. The cngageinent of the wedge piece 1G with the plunger pins 15, 15 will close an electric circuit betwecn the slides 7, the tracks 5 and the electric bell 11 through the means hercinbei''ore described, to cause the bell to ring so long as the wedge piece is between said plunger pins.

The slides 7, 7 connected by the non-conducting strip 12, form. together a setting arm or hand that is completed by a pointed project-ion 18 on the outer slide for passage over the time-division numerals 19 on the dial. Therefore, when it is desired to set the alarm for a certain time, the connected slides-7, 7 may be easily moved around thc dial 1 by the fingers to bring the pointed projection 18 over the numeral designating the hour or less division of time selected. In Figure 5 the projection 18 on the outer slide 7 is shown to be directly over the numeral 5, so that when the hour hand 2 comes to a position over that numeral, or when it is five oclock, the Wedge piece 16 will move between the plunger pins 15, 15 to close the electric circuit through the bell 11 and thereby cause it to ring so long as the Wedge p-iece is between the pins. The duration of time the bell is rung may be varied by increasingr or decreasing the length of the wedge piece, or it may be made to ring alternately by corrugating said wedge piece. The latter is also constructed so that the indicator may be freely moved around the dial without injuring the hour hand 2- The outer track 5 is formed in its periphery with notches 20 into which a plunger 21 mounted in a. guide 22 on the interior of the outer slide 7, is adapted to be pressed by a spring 23 to set the indicator, and hold it firmly, in a selected position. The notches and safety plunger also prevent the indicator being moved in any direction other than the one in which it will pass the hour hand most easily. The safety plunger also prevents the indicator from dropping down on the left hand side of the dial',

To overcome lost motion and to insure that it will make contact on the exact minute for which the indicator is set, the hour hand 2 is preferably poised by an extension 24. (See Figures 1 and 3,)

The device is easily attached to the dial of any clock by first boring the necessary small holes to receive the screws 4, which are passed through said holes from the rear into the tracks 5, 5 which are concentl'ically positioned on the front face of said dial. Holes are also formed in the dial to receive the binding posts 9, 9 to which the wires 10, 10 may be easily connected. The slides 7, 7 are easily applied to the tracks, and the wedge piece 16 readily fastened to the hour hund, so that the entire operation of assembly and attachment of the device to the clock may be accomplished quickly, easily and without injury to the clock itself.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1, In a clock, the combination with a dial and a time-indicating hand movable around the latter, of a pair of concentric tracks attachable to said dial beneath said hand, aslide free to travel around each track, nonconducting means connecting said slides for a movement together to a desired alarm position on the dial, an electric alarm device in electric circuit with said tracks, and a contact element on said time-indicating hand adapted to be engagingly carried between said slides by the time-indicating hand, to close the electric circuit between the slides, the tracks and the alarm device for the purpose specified.

2. In a clock, the combination with a dial and a time-indicating hand movable around the latter, of a pair of concentric tracks attacliuble to said dial beneath said hand, a slide free to travel around each track, nonconducting means connecting said slides for a movement together to a desired alarm position on the dial, an electric alarm device in electric circuit with said tracks, ilungers on said slides springpressed over t e space between the latter, and a. wed 'e contact element on the time-indicating` iand adapted to be en fagingly carried between said plun ers by t ie timcdndicatin hand, to close tige electric circuit between tie slides, the tracks and the alarm device for the purpose Specilied.

3. ln a clock, the combination with a dial and a time-indicating hand movable around the latter, of a pair of concentric tracks at tachable to said dial beneath said hand, a slide free to travel around each track, a non-conducting element connecting said slides for a movement together to a desired position, a housing on each slide, a plunger in each housing, a spring behind each plunger in its respective housing, a pin pro- Jecting outwardly from each plunger over the non-conducting element connecting the slides, an electric alarm device in electric circuit with said tracks, and a wedge piece attachable to the time-indicating hand, adapted to be carried by the latter between the plunger pins, for engagement with the latter to close the electric circuit between the Slides, the tracks and the alarm device for the purpose specified.

4. In a clock, the combination with a dial and a time-indicating hand movable around the latter, of a pair of concentric tracks attachahle to said dial, an indicator movable around said tracks, an alarm device in electric circuit with said tracks, a contact element on the time-indicating hand for contact with the indicator to close the electric circuit through said alarm device, one of said tracks having notches in its periphery, and a safety plunger on the indicator adapt. ed to engage in said notches to hold the mdicator in a desired position.

5. In a clock the combination with a dial and a timedndicating hand movable around the latter, of a pair of concentric tracks adapted to be applied to the face of said dial` the latter being formed with holes behind said tracks, screws projecting through said holes into the tracks, radial non-conduct int;r nieces held against the rear face of the dial oy said screws, a slide adapted to travel around each track, a non-conducting bridge piece connected between the slides for Inovebetween the slides, the tracks and the alarm ment through the path between the tracks, device for the purpose specified. an electric alarm device in electric circuit In testimony whereof I have hereunto set 10 with said tracks, and a contact element atmy hand this 31st day of Januar 1924.

5 tachable to said time-indicating hand adapt- FLORANCE P. CROWE.

ed to be engagingly carried by the latter belVitness: tween said slides, to close the electric circuit HOWARD S. SMITH. 

